Posted on 05/18/2008 6:54:58 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo
The mother of a 13-year-old autistic boy who was banned by a court order from attending services at a Roman Catholic church in Bertha, Minn., woke up Sunday determined to take her son to mass.
But Carol Race changed her mind when Todd County Sheriff Pete Mikkelson met her at the end of her driveway Sunday and told her she would be arrested if she brought her son, Adam, into the Church of St. Joseph.
Instead, Race took Adam and her four other children to mass at Christ the King Church in nearby Browerville, Minn. "It occurred to me that if I step foot in [St. Joseph], they will arrest me and I won't end up going to mass anyway," she said.
She is scheduled to appear in court today over a citation she received last week for violating the restraining order by taking Adam to church on Mother's Day.
The dispute has drawn attention to what Race and advocates for the disabled say is a lack of education and understanding about autism. Race said that even though her son, who is home-schooled, sometimes acts up in church, the experience benefits him.
"He has a sense of the routine," she said. "That's one of the beautiful things about the Catholic mass for autistic individuals, its routine."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
They said they tried to work with the family.
“We all pitch in and do what we can to make the families involved feel welcome. We don’t complain, we accept and help out as best we can. We understand.”
Thats wonderful but are these “special situations”
6 feet tall and weigh over 225 pounds, spit and urinate in church and nearly injure children and elderly people?
There’s a line that unfortunately has to be drawn sometimes.
He’s autistic, and it’s quite possible that he is simply unteachable. On the other hand, the mother’s attitude does make one wonder if he’s been given as firm guidance as he should have been. But the sad fact is that there isn’t much a mother or anyone else can do for 6 foot, 225 pound autistic boy who isn’t interested in anybody’s ideas of socially acceptable behavior. If there was any chance of improving his behavior, realistically it’s way in the past, since he’s grown large enough to physically overpower anyone who tries to make him do anything that isn’t exactly what he wants to do.
What Would Jesus Do?
Call the cops, it appears.
I don’t think Mom really cares about having him receive communion. She’s trying to make a point. I know life is hard for her and her family - horribly hard, in fact, with an out of control 6’ tall, 225 pound “child” - but she obviously has no concern for other people. Apparently, neither does her husband. This sounds like a family where everybody is very distressed about having a severely handicapped child and in compensation they have let everything in their family life revolve around him and their conflicted feelings about him. I wonder how the other kids feel about this.
There are many better ways of dealing with this than insisting that he go to Mass (which, if he’s autistic, he probably doesn’t like anyway), and I’m sure the priest would be happy to accomodate any reasonable suggestion. But she’s not being reasonable, and she’s using the child to express anger.
Well, call me a Baddie, but I wouldn’t want to be in church with this guy.
I get irritated with people who talk, let their cell phones ring, and sip from water bottles in church.
This sounds a little worse.
Fine.
Kick out the gays, along with all of the child molesting clergy.
Be sure to call the county sheriff.
To paraphrase crudely, it benefits him, so everyone else be blowed.
She needs to face reality about her son. I know easier said than done, but he sounds like he should be in a facility where he could possibly be helped or at least controlled.
Mark 5
Mark 5
My 9 year old son is pretty well behaved but still likes to make loud humming and squealing noises that would be a complete distraction for everyone in the church. This is why my wife and I haven't gone to Mass as a family in about 5 years and probably never will again. She goes to early Mass, I take my daughter to later Mass. Do I like not being together? No, but we're certainly not going to inflict everyone else, the celebrant in particular, to such distracting behavior. As parents (and sibling) to a profoundly Autistic child, we all make sacrifices. I see no point in forcing others to "feel our pain."
As for "incontinence", that's baloney. Her son isn't potty trained. I can tell you that my wife and I have been potty training my son for 6 years! He's got it down but not every Autistic child/adult does. I'm not judging him or them for that, but use your head when traveling outside the home and maybe some Depends.
We take our son out and about shopping, walking and lots of other places but we don't take him to Church. My fellow parishioners are all welcome to visit us at home if they'd like to see what life is like for a family with an Autistic child. If you want a big hug from him, be sure to bring an open bag of Dorito Nacho Chips. We keep them under lock and key around here!
How can this young man be taking Holy Communion? You can only receive Holy Communion if you are capable of understanding the meaning. He never would have been able to complete the education that precedes receiving the first Holy Communion.
The Rev. Daniel Walz ... alleged that Adam, who is more than 6 feet tall and weighs over 225 pounds, spits and urinates in church and has nearly injured children and elderly people.Mom, no matter how much you want for life to be normal for your son, it ain't gonna happen and you cannot demand that others live in a world with your color sky.
Oh, of course! All those people he spits at and urinates on are just going to have to UNDERSTAND, and sit there and take it. What’s next for this mother- bringing her dog into the church because the son likes being around him?
simple but effective ... perhaps you have something there!
Thank you. I have extended family members who are autistic, but have somewhat milder symptoms than this poor young man. We have some families in our parish also who are foster parents for autistic kids, who they sometimes bring to Mass. They will occasionally make a little noise (usually in the cry room, though), but by no means to this degree.
I wonder if this church has a cry room.
It’s a sad story, with no winners, but the pastor’s action is certainly understandable. All involved could use our prayers.
Yes, I know. I have an autistic step-grandchild. It is very difficult for the parents. There are things his parents can’t do if it involves him. btw, he is fascinated by trains and music.
The size, strength and the fact that this mother cannot control her son probably means she better seek outside help in caring for him, for her sake as well as his. My heart goes out to them.
Urinating and spitting in church, tho, shouldn’t be tolerated.
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